


Where the Ocean Meets The Sky

by forsakenoathkeeper



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Ending, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-10-26 15:26:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17748464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forsakenoathkeeper/pseuds/forsakenoathkeeper
Summary: A retelling of the Kingdom Hearts 3 ending, in which Sora goes looking for the missing pieces of Kairi's heart.Later chapters will be mature, majority of the chapters are T(13+).





	1. May Your Heart Be Your Guiding Key

“Not without Kairi…” he said just moments ago, and that thought still resonated with him as he boarded the gummy ship. He climbed into the ship alone for the first time in a long time, or perhaps for the first time, he couldn’t recall. Sora felt like he was in a haze, a dreary like state that tugged him along rather than him being the guide of his own movement. As soon as he climbed into the ship, and stood alone in a space that had always been filled with Donald and Goofy, Sora collapsed against the nearest wall and slid to the floor, a heavy heap of dirty clothes, sweat, and blood.

The captain’s chair was only a few footsteps away, yet he completely lost the strength to get up and climb into it. He heaved desperate breaths as if he hadn’t inhaled properly in hours. He was panting, gasping, and choking on the oxygen that seeped in and out of him. It didn’t immediately become apparent to Sora that he was crying until the tears dripping down his wet face splashed onto his lap. He dragged the back of his glove across his face multiple times, only to find the tears quickly replaced.

“Stop,” he mumbled to himself. But, the tears wouldn’t stop flowing and he couldn’t stop gasping. “Kai-ri’s al-alone out there…”

You’re alone, too.

The weight of it all seemed to crash down on him, in that moment. It wasn’t just going on without Donald and Goofy, and it wasn’t just facing this world without knowing Kairi was safe. Ventus’ heart, Roxas’ heart… they were gone, too. For the first time since he started this journey, he was truly alone.

He had never known of the weight of Ven’s heart, as it had always been with him. He had never known what it was like to not feel it alongside his own. For the first time, he felt the emptiness of his heart, alone in his chest: the quiet, the stillness, the beating of a single drum. It was not so different from the time he became a heartless.

“Was it only easy until now because-… I was never by myself. From the beginning-… It was only easy because-” Sora’s words trailed off and he remembered what Riku had said to him when he had given up, when all seemed lost, and the source of his light had been taken from him.

You don’t believe that.

Sora leaned up a little so he could reach into one of the pockets on his pants and pull out Kairi’s good luck charm. One of the ceiling lights hit the crown in the center, making it shimmer. He slid his thumb over the surface of one of the shells and touched a crack that had formed in the time he had owned it. Sora couldn’t help but smile at the face that was staring back at him. He could almost hear Kairi tease him for damaging her lucky charm… his lucky charm.

“Enough,” he said again, firmly, mumbling to no one but himself. Sora wiped his face again, this time on his sleeve, smearing the fabric of his shirt roughly against his face; and, although the tears hadn’t stopped yet, he stood up. He summoned his keyblade as he approached the captain’s chair in his ship.

“Give me strength-” Sora glided the charm against the keychain on his keyblade. It flashed bright white as it took form against the chain. As it hooked onto the end, the entire keyblade lit up. In Sora’s grasp, he could feel the blade changing shape. The entire cabin was lit up with the bright light the weapon had illuminated. When it finally calmed, the Oathkeeper was in his grasp. “-show me the way… to Kairi’s heart…!”

…

… …

…

As Sora walked along the sidewalk, he wasn’t immediately aware of what world he had ended up in, this time. It was dark and the streets were almost empty. The majority of businesses along the strip were closed for the night, except for one. Sora saw a creature clad in a fancy suit step out and casually walk by him, and encouraged him to properly look at his hands. Ah. grey fur.

Sora reached up and touched the silky smooth appendages atop his head, his spiky brown hair now transformed into something resembling fins. They were firm, like vinyl, but soft. He tugged gently on one of his ears, realizing they were now soft and fuzzy, and stuck out far from the sides of his head. So, he was back in Monstropolis?

“Donald’s magic is still with me. What a relief,” he sighed, whispering to himself. “A piece of Kairi is here, then. But… where?” Sora began wandering aimlessly down the street, helpless as to where he should even begin. After a few minutes, he wondered if he should head to Monsters Inc. But, he didn’t know which way to go, or if that was even a wise choice.

He just moved, and his feet just carried him, and he wasn’t sure if it was even the right way. His thoughts were a little unclear, other than to keep moving, to move forward, to whichever direction Kairi was. In a daze, Sora crossed the street without much thought, and was suddenly blinded by bright lights. There was a loud sound as tires screeched on the asphalt. Sora lifted his hands to shield his eyes from the brightness.

“Watch where you’re going, idiot!” an angry voice shouted at him. “Ah - uhm,” Sora stuttered, stumbling back away from the blinding light. “Sorry,” he apologized, moving out of the way. “Better be!” the driver shouted out the window as he sped by. Sora continued stepping back, out of the road, and his ankles hit the curb and he tumbled back onto his bottom.

“Omf,” he grunted as he hit the ground, his arms falling back to keep him from completely hitting the ground, catching himself on his palms. “Woah - woah - are you o-… Sora!?” a voice, a very close voice, shouted in surprise. Sora looked up from where he sat on the ground, up at a single, huge, teal eye.

“Mike?” he replied, almost in disbelief. “Yeah, ahehe,” Mike responded, smiling and laughing nervously. “What are you doing?” he asked, immediately adding on, “you look horrible.” Sora didn’t overthink Mike’s statement. He must have been right. He was alone, laying on the ground, with no idea to what he was doing. “Ah-… eh…” he mumbled.

“Hey, do you need a place to crash?” Mike asked, waving one of his skinny arms as if to single to the direction behind him. Sora’s brow curled curiously. “Crash…?” Sora questioned, tilting slightly to try to look behind Mike, to whatever he was signaling at. “Yeah, crash. Y’know, a place to stay the night?” Mike explained, bending his knees slightly so his huge eye took up more of Sora’s vision.

“O-oh! No, I couldn’t. Thank you! But, I have-” Sora’s words were silenced as Mike loudly interrupted him. “Sora, with all due respect, you look like you haven’t slept in days.” Sora smiled nervously, unaware that his toothy grin looked more like an uneasy grimace. “I’m fine. Honest,” he replied, moving to stand up properly and get his long legs out of the road. “No, you’re not,” Mike stated, matter of factly.

“Me and Sully are roommates. He’ll be happy to see ya’ again. Come on!” Mike started walking away with the utmost confidence that Sora would follow him. He was right because Sora wasted no time catching up to him. “Uhm, Mike, I can’t-” he tried, but Mike wouldn’t stop talking. “We have a really nice place. The couch folds out so you’ll have plenty of room. But, you’re so skinny, it probably wouldn’t matter anyway.”

“Mike, look, I-” Sora tried again. But, Mike carried on, “you’re pretty lucky. I just stepped out to get some things at the corner store.” It was only then that Sora realized Mike had a brown, paper bag tucked under his arm. “It’s not far away. Consider my hospitality a thank you for helping us out back then. Besides, we love company! ….usually.”

Sora felt a little helpless as he followed along, thinking about what he should have been doing, instead of what he was doing. But, he lacked the strength to tell Mike no. At least, he could visit for a bit and then leave. Honestly, he did want to see Sully again. Maybe, it would be nice: a quick get together and then he would leave and look for Kairi!

“It’s on the 3rd floor,” Mike commented as they approached a massive skyscraper. “Woah,” Sora muttered, tilting back so he could crane his neck and look up, trying to catch a glimpse of the top. He could see lights illuminated in some of the windows, so far up he almost couldn’t see. He titled back a little too far, and stumbled, trying to catch himself before he fell over.

“See? I told’ja you’re not okay,” Mike gently scolded. Sora looked over at the short cyclops, who had one hand dramatically placed on his hip… or the spot where his leg ran into his eye socket. “Ahehe,” Sora nervously laughed, rubbing a hand against the rough fin on the back of his head.

He followed Mike into the building, up the elevator, and into his apartment building. “Oohh, so this is what an apartment is!” Sora commented loudly as he stepped inside. “You didn’t know what an apartment was?” Mike asked, eyeing Sora curiously. Just as the teenager made it into the living room, Sully stepped in from the nearby hallway.

“Thought I heard a familiar voice,” he commented, his large feet gently shaking the floorboards as he walked. “Sully!” Sora exclaimed, waving at him excitedly. Mike walked by and began to remove the contents from his paper bag. He placed them on the counter, mumbling something about dinner. Sora expected Sully to question Mike as to why he was here; when he didn’t, Sora decided he wanted to explain. “Sorry for showing up unexpected. I won’t be here too long. Just - uh - thought I’d stop by and say hi before heading off.”

Sully’s smile faded, “where’ya heading off to in such a hurry?” Sora’s chipper expression also faded. For a moment, he wondered if he could come up with something on the spot; but, he decided that he’d rather tell the truth. “I’m looking for someone… someone important to me.” Sully stepped a little closer, close enough that he towered over Sora. “That explains why you look like that,” he commented, a little sadly.

“Like what?” Sora practically squeaked. “…like you haven’t stopped for a second,” Sully answered. Sora couldn’t see it, but it was particularly evident in his tired eyes. “Told’ja,” Mike quickly barked from the kitchen. Sora turned back to look at him for a second before immediately turning back to Sully. “You’re on your own with this one, huh?” the tall monster asked, turning around.

“Y-yeah…” Sora answered. “She’s all alone and I-… I gotta find her.” Sully plopped down on one of the armchairs and raised his eyebrows at Sora. “She?” he asked, in a tone Sora recognized all too well. “Ahehe,” he laughed nervously, walking over to take a seat at the couch. He leaned back and crossed one leg over the other, with his ankle resting on his knee, trying to act casual about the whole thing.

“Weeelll, what does she look liiiiike?” Mike called from the kitchen, voice drawn out and taunting. Sora jumped upright and set his foot back on the floor. He nervously scratched at his jawline with his claws. “Really blue eyes… and red hair,” he replied, looking away nervously.

“Fur, huh?” Sully replied casually, placing his hands on his lap and leaning over to try and get a glance at Sora’s blushing face. “Ehh - yeah!” Sora replied. He turned towards Sully. “Oh - and claws!” he added on, a bit too dramatically. He even extended his fingers for emphasis. Sully stared at him as if there was nothing odd about that, and Sora remembered the context of this world. He placed his hands on his lap, feeling silly.

“She sounds terrifying,” Mike commented as he approached them. “Ahehe. She is,” Sora agreed. The cyclops was holding one bowl in either hand, with another tucked into his inner elbow as he approached. Mike offered one of the bowls to Sora, and he took it hesitantly. “O-Oh! Thank you!”

“Don’t mention it,” Mike commented as he handed one to Sully. “It’s my turn to cook, which means I get to pick the channel. Hope you like Claw and Order.” Mike plopped down in an oddly shaped chair. It was curved and round, and clearly intended to fit his body shape.

Sora looked down at the bowl in his hands and realized it was stir fry noodles with bug shaped beans - at least, he hoped those were beans. “Guys, thank you so much, really, but… I really can’t stay.” Sully slurped loudly as he sucked a large portion of noodles into his mouth and Mike began fiddling with the remote, flipping through channels. “You really should get some sleep, Sora,” the blue monster encouraged.

Sora looked up at him with a surprised expression. “Sleep? But I-” Yet again, Mike interrupted him that night. “Do you even know where she is? The monster you’re looking for?” Mike asked, setting the remote control down to suck up some noodles. “I-…” Sora looked down at the bowl in his hands. “It’s written all over your face,” Sully commented. “If you keep going like this, you’re gonna collapse.”

Mike set his bowl down on the coffee table and hopped up from where he was seated. “No more excuses! You’re staying the night because I hospitably invited you over… and made my world famous noodles.” Mike didn’t immediately sit back down, but stared at Sora with a confident expression, awaiting another excuse, perhaps.

In that moment, Sora remembered that he was alone on this journey. He didn’t have Donald and Goofy to be the voice of reason anymore. He had to be that, himself. He couldn’t find Kairi is he could barely walk. That’s what Donald would say, right? And Goofy would encourage him to take it easy, not to rush.

You’re useless to her if you can barely function.

Maybe he should have realized it himself. He hadn’t slept since he defeated the new Organization XIII… since he defeated Xehanort. He hopped right into the gummy ship and took off. He was willing to keep going and going, his exhaustion be damned.

Sora took hold of the strange utensil sticking out of the noodles and scooped up a large amount. “Yessir!” he declared before slurping up the noodles in the same dramatic fashion that they had. Mike plopped back down in his silly chair, looking quite proud of himself.

They finished their noodles loudly, and Sully finished his with a dramatic belch, so loud that it shook their apartment floor. Mike chewed him out about it with a dramatic speech, something about having company and that they were going to get security called on them again, and Sora laughed the hardest he had in weeks.

That night, Sora slept soundly on a fold out couch, with his head propped on the armrest, wrapped up in a spotted green and yellow blanket. He was out like he had been put in a coma, one leg fallen over the edge of the couch and one arm propped beneath his head, snoring loudly while his ears twitched. He didn’t dream; or, if he did, he forgot about it when he woke.

 

…

… …

…

"Her heart has been shattered… pieces of it must have scattered across the worlds. Sora… It isn’t safe. I can’t fathom what would happen if you keep using your keyblade to search for her… What if you-”

“I’m not afraid of what will happen to me… Kairi’s all alone. I have to find her. I promised her… I would never let her be alone ever again. I’ll do whatever it takes… no matter the consequences… I’ll make her whole again…”

…

… …

…

“See… now you look like you could actually scare someone,” Sully commented as the trio exited the apartment complex. Sora enthusiastically stretched his arms above his head before crossing them behind his neck. He pressed his palms against the fur there and grinned. “Ya’ think so?” he replied happily.

“No,” Mike bluntly stated. “Buuut, you could make someone laugh with that ridiculous face.” Sora’s arms returned to his side and he pouted. “Ridiculous!?” he blurted, sounding childish and insulted. His ears angled downwards, further proving Mike’s point, unfortunately. “Actually, Sora, we were hoping you would come with us to work today,” Sully requested, his voice’s tone heightening slightly with hope.

“Huh?” Sora turned his attention away from the green cyclops on his right to the furry monster on his left. “Today is orientation for new employees and… Well, we’d love if you’d join us,” Sully explained. “Orientation?” Sora asked. When Mike began talking, Sora looked to him again. “Since we don’t scare anymore, we get a lot more job applicants. We do orientation to see if they got what it takes, ya’ know?”

“-and, well, we know you’re looking for someone,” Sully began, “but, you said you don’t know where to begin, right?” Sora turned back to Sully and nodded. “Soooo, we could help you look… after orientation,” Mike finished. Sora stopped walking and the other two also paused some footsteps ahead him. They looked back at the monster with the spiky head, who had one hand under his chin, eyes glossy as he stared blindly into the distance, thinking.

“My heart will guide me to Kairi,” he thought to himself. “My heart brought me here… Should I…?” Sora exchanged glances between Sully and Mike, and was taken aback by their hopeful stares. It seemed like destiny that he reunited with them, especially like this. Maybe-… maybe it was a chance worth taking, that may or may not bring him to Kairi.

Finally, Sora nodded enthusiastically. “Sure!”

…

… …

… 

Orientation was somehow exactly what Sora expected it to be, and somehow not at all. There were a lot of monsters here: some really large ones that barely fit in the doors, some small ones that looked like they got stepped on a lot. Some monsters were furry, some covered in thick scales, some completely hairless. Some monsters had horns or claws, while others had multiple eyeballs… or no eyeballs.

But, Sora wasn’t the least perturbed by the strange creatures all around him. They were normal people, deep down, people with hearts trying to find their way in the world. Rather, the entire experience was fast paced and a bit overwhelming.

The factory was bringing in doors like crazy and the monsters were in and out of them quickly while workers measured their ability to fill the tanks with children’s laughter. Mike and Sully didn’t seem at all overwhelmed by all of this. They walked along, monitored, sometimes examined the clipboards, sometimes gave advice, while Sora scurried along behind them, unsure of what to do himself.

At one point, Mike and Sully paused to monitor one of the potential hires. Sora stood behind Mike and leaned over him to properly get a look at what he was doing. “This one’s a tough one,” one of the monsters had said. He was holding a clipboard, and wearing a shirt that had the company logo on it. “Are you sure you don’t want an easier one? Most guys can’t get this kid to crack a smile.”

“Yeah I totally got this!” another monster proclaimed cheerfully, standing directly in front of the door, waiting for permission to enter. The monster holding the clip board scratched one of his seven eyeballs, humming with uncertainty. “Alright, kid. Show us what you got.” With great enthusiasm, the younger monster bolted into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. There was a moment of silence as everyone waited and stared at the meter on the power tube.

A very long minute passed and then laughter could be heard, bellowing and dramatic, like it had been long awaited, and the tube filled up almost instantly. Shortly afterward, the monster exited the room, panting dramatically. He shut the door behind himself and leaned against it. The monsters that had gathered around to watch began clapping and cheering.

“Good job, kid!” Sully congratulated him. “Keep up the good work,” he added, walking on to the next door before the kid could get a chance to properly react. Sora picked up the pace to keep up with Sully and Mike as they moved along the factory. Eventually, they got to the end of the row. A door was placed in the framework, but the light was off. A monster was crawling all around the metal frame, trying to figure out what was wrong with it.

“Oh!” he exclaimed when he realized he had an audience. “Sorry, boss. I guess this one is defective?” He climbed off the framework and approached Sully and Mike. Sora glanced at the door and saw the light catch a mark in the wood. “Huh,” he mumbled before doing a double take. Sora stepped around Sully and approached the door.

He leaned down on one knee to look at it properly. There were three marks in the wood, right on top of each other, made with a graphite pencil most likely. Sora placed a furry hand on the wood as he examined the marks. There was one line with a tiny “R” etched in next to it. The line beneath that one had a “K” next to it; and, then, at the bottom, barely a centimeter beneath the middle line, had an “S”.

Familiar.

“Hey, Sully,” Sora began as he stood up properly, turning his direction to the conversing monsters and interrupting them. They stopped talking for a moment to look at him. “Can I do this one?” Sora asked. “Uh. Sure? If you can get it to work,” Sully replied, nodding at the monster in the hardhat. He scuttled over to the control panel and disconnected the framework from the door and then reconnected it.

Sora stared at the light above the door with a hopeful gaze. Somehow, he felt a connection to this door. His heart pounded anxiously in his chest as he waited, watching the light with unwavering stare. It took a moment; but, this time, it did light up. He smiled and wordlessly stepped inside, wondering what awaited him.

It was dark in the little bedroom; but, Sora’s monster eyes could see through the darkness. The room was what you would expect of a child’s bedroom; there were some toys left on the floor, stuffed animals propped up on the top of the drawers, a little wood table with crayons and drawing paper scattered on the surface, a small chair jutting out. As soon as he entered, a little girl stood up from her bed and turned on the light at the side table, illuminating the room in a dull, orange hue. She stared up at him, innocent blue eyes blinking and red hair a mess around her shoulders.

“It’s not nice to barge into someone’s room,” she gently criticized. Sora’s ears perked up and his mouth fell open. That wasn’t exactly what he expected her to say. Then again, that did seem perfectly fitting. He closed his mouth and descended to the floor, plopping down on his bottom and crossing his legs at his ankles to get somewhat close to her level. “I didn’t barge in. I entered normally,” he replied, tone soft yet with a childish, chipper attitude.

“I didn’t say you could come in,” she replied, pointing an accusing finger. “Oh! Well… can I come in?” Sora requested, placing his hands innocently in front of him on the floor. The little girl tapped a finger against her chin and looked away, thinking intently. “I guuuuesss,” she replied, “just cuz you’re already in here.”

Sora smiled and tilted his head to the side, “thank you.” There was a moment of silence as the two stared at each other, and she contemplated whether or not she wanted to walk up to him. Sora’s ears twitched again, and that seemed to encourage her to approach him. The little girl tilted her head to get a proper look at his face.

“Why don’t you have a nose?” she asked, pointing at her own nose to make a point. Sora hummed thoughtfully for a moment. “Someone pulled it off,” he replied casually, albeit a bit dramatically. The girl giggled briefly, and chastised him, "noses don’t just fall off, stupid.” Sora gasped dramatically. “They can!” he defensively replied, lifting one of his hands in a menacing way.

The girl giggled some more, covering her nose with both hands just to be certain. “Maaaaybe, that’s why I’m here. I’m looking for a new nose,” Sora explained. “-and I’ll get it by scaring it off of you!” he added dramatically, raising both of his hands above his head and showing off his claws. The girl removed her hands from her face and grinned at him. “You’re not scary!” she accused bravely, mimicking his pose with her own little arms. “I’m not!?” Sora gasped, clutching at his chest with his hands.

“Ah uh!” she proclaimed. “You couldn’t scare a fly!” Sora gasped again and pouted at her. “Not true! I could be scary. Watch!” Sora lowered his head slightly, just enough to ensure the girl couldn’t see his face. He waited for a moment, keeping his head held low. In the corner of his eye, he could see her tilting down to try and steal a glance at his face.

He lifted his head, dramatically squealing, “eeeeeee!” with his eyes looking upwards, his smile showing a toothy grin, and his ears turned up as far as he could make them go. The girl’s laughter echoed in the small bedroom and she chanted at him, “you look silly, not scary!” Sora’s face returned to normal for a moment, and he replied, “nah - uh! This is super scary!” He repeated his actions, this time sticking his tongue out. It was long and pink, and dangled off the edge of his jawline. “Eeeww!” she hollered between her laughter.

Sora’s expression softened and he smiled at the girl as her laughter died into giggles. “Sora makes that face at me, too,” she commented. Sora’s eyes widened and he gasped, “huh?” She smiled at him, clutching a tiny hand to her chest. “Kairi-?” he whispered. Her body began to glow, a light that flickered and shined, but soon faded along with her form. He felt the light seep into his own body as she disappeared before his very eyes, leaving behind a faint giggle that, too, quickly faded.

Sora smiled and stood up. As if it was contagious, he began to gently laugh, as well. It didn’t last long, before confidence swelled up inside him. “Wait for me, Kairi. I’ll find you: all of you.” He turned to the closet door and stepped out of the bedroom and back into Monsters Inc. As soon as he stepped out, he was met with confused gasps and stares.

“Huh?” Sora turned back to the door and found there was nothing on the other side. He could see right through it to the opposite end of the factory. “Uhm…” he mumbled, turning back to face the others. “It was defective,” he explained. “Hm. Odd,” Sully commented, scratching at his jawline. “Better shred it,” he directed to the monster in the hardhat. Sora closed the door and looked down at the etchings in the wood. He smiled, almost wanting to hold onto it for a little longer, but stepped away.

…

… …

…

“Are you sure you’re good to go on without us?” Sully asked, looking down at Sora with uncertainty. “Yeah! I’ll be fine,” Sora reassured him with a confident smile. Everyone was gathered in the main entryway at Monsters Inc, grabbing the paperwork that told them if they were hired or not. “I think I needed this,” Sora explained, a soft smile on his face. He looked around at all the happy faces around him.

“You didn’t do too bad for a rookie,” Mike explained. “Only one of those kids didn’t laugh at you.” Sora grimaced at the memory. “That kid was scarier than me!” he shrieked, shuddering at the thought of facing off against that kid with the braces again. “I’d rather face the heartless,” he mumbled to himself. Sully laughed and roughly patted him on the back. “You did good. I’d offer you a job if you were going to stay.”

Sora looked up at him, ears perky and smiling, “really!?” Sully nodded, laughing at his enthusiasm. Sora stepped around Sully so he was standing more directly in front of him and Mike. “Guys… thanks for all this, really.” The two stared at him for a moment, briefly lost in awe at his sincerity. Then, suddenly, Mike blew raspberries. “What are ya’ getting all sappy for? You had some fun, we got some energy… and we didn’t have to pay you for it…”

“I could’ve gotten paid!?” Sora exclaimed, flailing his arms. “Heh. Not a chance,” Sully replied, placing a heavy hand on the top of his head and giving a gentle shove. “You got paid in noodles and a couch,” Mike informed him, crossing his arms and grinning, proudly. Sora regained his composure and pouted, also crossing his arms. “All according to plan?” he asked, and Mike bluntly replied, “exactly.” Sully started laughing and the other two immediately joined in.

Sora could feel the warm spreading inside his heart, and he was confident he would find the rest of Kairi.


	2. You’re My Greatest Journey

Throughout his youth, Sora always saw the ocean as a friend. It was an object of much affection: a place where he played for hours on end, that cared not if he was alone or in the company of great friends. It was refreshing in the summer and forgiving in the winter. The ocean was vast and beautiful. It smelt like home and caressed like a lover.

Yet, tonight, it felt like more of an enemy.

Sora might not have expected his return to this world to be easy, but he never imagined it would be quite like this. He landed on an abandoned ship mere moments before a storm violently crashed into them. She was a worn down ship, but sturdy enough to endure the intense waves and fierce winds. Sora, however, quickly began to doubt that he was sturdy enough to endure.

The wind aggressively pummeled at his body, whipping sharp blows against his face. He tried to tuck his head into his arm to provide some protection, but had no choice but to look back up and face the water with the hopes he could maneuver the weather, with nothing but the occasional zaps of lightning to give him light.

The rain poured down cruelly, unwavering in its assault. Droplets fell heavy over the edge of his hat, which did little to protect his eyes from the rains descending attacks. The waves lapped against the ship in disorder, sometimes coming in from the right, sometimes from the left, sometimes aggressively shoving at the underbelly and bringing the ship high into the air, other times tossing heavy over the edge and dislodging Sora from the wheel. Not trusting his feet, he always used airsteps to bring him back. No matter how tight he held on, the waves were always stronger, knocking him around with ease.

For the first few hours, Sora clung to the wheel and did his best to navigate the waves, holding on so tight his fingers ached painfully until numbness set in. He could almost hear the words of the more seasoned pirates: “the sea is an unforgiving mistress”, or something to that extent, and now he understood what they meant. On his last adventure, she was kind to him, and allowed him to easily journey about her waters. This time, Sora felt like an unwelcomed guest.

He could taste the salt water heavy on his tongue. He could also taste the metallic sting he recognized as blood. Had he bit his tongue during one of the collisions with a wave? Had he unconsciously chewed a hole through his lip whilst trying to concentrate on navigating the violent waters?

“What’s the point of this?” he thought to himself. His heart had brought him here, to this turmoil. Was Kairi lost out there on the open ocean? Was there a piece of her heart being tormented in his storm? Desperation pushed Sora to seek an answer, even if it seemed bleak in that moment. He tried to ignore the aches in his body, the pain of bruised flesh and torn skin, spit out the salt water and blood, and stepped away from the wheel.

His body cleared the distance between where he once stood and the main mast in the blink of an eye. He stood at the base, his feet still firmly planted on the deck, and his hands gripped the cylinder for dear life. The ship violently jolted as a wave crashed against it. Sora barely caught sight of the approaching water as lightning flashed around him. He smacked his mouth shut and squeezed his eyelids together tightly. He pressed his body against the mast, cheek flush with the wood, just in time as the wave knocked against his body.

The force was enough to nearly drag him away; but, he held on long enough for the wave to pass by. He could feel the sting of the rain into a new wound on his cheek, as the wood likely sliced a cut into his skin.

Sora tilted his head back and looked up the mast. He let go to airstep his way to the top, clearing the distance in less than a second. He stood at the very top of the mast, struggling to maintain his balance. Water droplets fell heavy onto his face and the wind blew at the strands of hair that stuck out of his hat. They slapped against his cheeks like sharp wires.

He took a deep inhale, accidentally sucking some of the raindrops into his mouth, before shouting into the night, “KAIRI!” There was no clarity in his calling. The storm remained just as violent, the a sea an angry tempest, black as an endless abyss and unruly in its wake. For a moment, lightning flashed and illuminated the surface of the endless darkness, where the night sky and the dark waters were merged into one.

For the first time in his life, Sora feared the sea.

“KAI-” he tried again. The ship jolted again, struck by another wave. One of the masts gave into the pressure and snapped with a loud crack that was not very different from the whip of a lightning strike. The ship trembled violently and the resulting shudder compromised Sora’s balance.

He fell silent and heavy as a brick from the mast. Failing to break his fall quickly enough, Sora slammed against the edge of the ship as she twisted and turned with the sea. The pain subdued him immediately and he lifelessly fell into the dark waters. He felt the sting on his body when he hit the surface and felt the tightening sensation in his chest as he slowly descended. His right hand reached up and he touched nothing but the empty water.

…

… …

…

Sora woke when the current whipped him from one direction to another and his body dragged along the sandy bottom. He found his footing and burst out of the water gasping and choking, limbs flailing, yet limping and hunched over like a zombie.

He coughed aggressively, and water spewed from his mouth. The sea’s salty water also dripped in heavy buckets off his clothes. Through stinging eyes and blurry vision, he whipped his head around rapidly, searching for dry land. He immediately spotted the shore and dragged himself the rest of the way that the current didn’t.

With his clothes soaking wet, lungs brought to the brink, limbs exhausted and aching, skin sore and flesh stinging, Sora felt heavy as he took long footsteps through the water, dragging his legs with all the strength he could muster. It felt like a very long few feet until he was on dry land and collapsed on the soft sand with an uncharacteristically guttural moan.

He landed flat on his back, limbs stretching out like a beached starfish. He felt the warmth of the sun pounding on his skin and it felt amazing. The heat scorched through him, drying his wet clothes and heating flesh that had been chilled to the bone. Sora panted like he hadn’t breathed in hours, which was likely true all things considered. His chest dramatically rose and fell in swift swoops.

In his moment of exhaustion, sprawled out on the shoreline, Sora drifted into something comparable to sleep. It wasn’t a typical type of sleep, but more in the sense that he floated away. He lost focus of what was going on around him and could feel little beyond that bubble. He could feel the waves gently smacking against his right shoe, felt the welcomed heat of the sun, felt the cool sand beneath him. All thoughts for a moment ceased beyond that.

But, then, he was woken, almost violently. He jolted up and gasped as if someone had nudged at him. However, often placing a hand in the sand so he could balance and rotate his body, scanning around real quick, Sora confirmed he was alone.

All alone… on an island… without a boat…

… in the middle of nowhere.

“Great,” he grimaced, his posture slouching and his eyes moving down to his lap. He ran his right hand through his hair, feeling the soft strands poke at cuts and gashes that had been formed from his encounter with the storm. Some particles of sand fell out of his hair and landed on his lap. He grimaced as he felt the collection of sand and sea sediment his hair had collected during his adventure in the water. It was only then that it occurred to him that something was missing.

He probably should have been a little angry, but he was too exhausted to really care in that moment. At least, he wasn’t particularly concerned over his missing accessory, but more concerned over the fact that he had accomplished nothing since his arrival. Sora pushed back his bangs and used his fingers to rough up his hair, digging into his scalp and pushing out particles of sand and other tiny things from the ocean that found their way into his spiky locks, which included moss and a tiny seashell.

He exhaled once, a brief puff of air through his nose, fast and sharp to express his frustration. His heart had brought him here and the ocean chewed him up and spit him out. He pouted at the ocean as if she had scolded him. He stared at the endless waters and mumbled to himself, “now what?”

…

… …

…

Sora wandered the island he had found himself on, in a stupor almost as though he was drunk on salt water: maybe, he was. He felt dehydrated, maybe even a little sick, on the brink of exhaustion, pushing himself on with willpower and what little strength he had left. Determined to see this through, he seemed unperturbed by the state of his body, unwilling to recognize his weaknesses and completely oblivious to his fatigue.

There was a large rock formation on the center of the island that towered into something like a small mountain. No trees or brush grew here, however. Any existing plant life seemed like it belonged to the ocean. The island’s outer rim was sandy in some places, rocky in others and swallowed up by shallow waters.

Sora walked the shoreline, airstepped his way to the top of the rocky hills, and even swam around some of the shallow, rocky areas of the island. To his dismay, there was nothing here: not a mysterious, conveniently placed ship, or even a piece of wood that could float with him on it. Even something small and simple would make due.

There was no hint of Kairi, no hint of what direction he needed to go, leaving him to fear that this was nothing but another misstep.

In his time on the island, Sora didn’t immediately realize that the tide was closing in fast. With the sun beating down on him, his feet busy making tracks in the sand, he lost track of time, of how quickly time was passing him by. He was focused on finding something of value here - something to give him hope that he was on the right track. It all felt wasted, especially when he returned to the shore he washed up on, and realized it was gone. The water was now lapping against the rocks and all the sand was buried by the ocean.

“Huh!?” Sora gasped. He squinted as the sun beamed down at him, shining bright and yellow melting into orange. It was then that he realized that sunset was a measly few hours away. Had the day truly passed by that quickly? How long had he laid on his back on the shoreline? How long had he wandered the island asking the universe for guidance?

Sora paced the island, asking himself - or whatever entity would bother listening - what to do next. He could retreat to the gummy ship; but, then what? Point the keyblade at the wall and ask for an easier set path? Tch. No way. But, what if… what if his heart had led him astray?

“I miss Donald and Goofy,” he thought, staring down at his feet as he walked. Donald almost always had the answer, or at least an idea to lead them on the right path. He pushed Sora to be wiser, to make better decisions. Goofy was always the voice of reason when times got tough. He encouraged Sora and Donald to never give up, no matter what.

Nothing-

Without-

Them-

Sora shook his head rapidly, so much so that it made him dizzy. His hands smacked against the sides of his face and he roughly patted his own cheeks. He dragged his fingers across his face, digging into the creases around his nose and eyes and pulled rough on the skin before letting go with a harsh exhale. “That’s not true,” he reminded himself. “I can do this… I can do this..”

As the sun drew closer to setting, the water also closed in on the island, threatening to swallow it up. At one point, Sora plopped down on the edge of an elevated piece of the rock formation. His legs dangled over the edge and he watched the sunset, taking a moment to relax. “Kairi, are you out there somewhere?” he thought as he soaked in the basking glow of the gold and pink sky.

He closed his eyes for a moment, and felt the warmth of the sun heat up his face. “Let’s take the raft and go - just the two of us.” Sora opened his eyes at the sound of that distant voice. It was spoken clearly, yet quiet, like it was coming from far away. It sounded familiar to him, yet almost unlike anything he had ever heard before. “I just can’t wait… Once we set sail… It’ll be great.”

For a moment, he was convinced he was hallucinating, simply reliving a moment from his childhood. But then, he felt something move next to him. He turned to his right in time to see a pink form stand up. Little black boots rested at the end of the rock, facing out towards the setting sun. His eyes moved up: long legs, a hooded, pink dress, and red hair. She was staring forward, bangs covering her eyes, hands clasped behind her back.

Sora almost choked on his own spit.

“Kairi-!?” Immediately, Sora bolted upright, nearly stumbling in the process. She turned away from him and started a steady paced walk. “W-wait!” he hollered, immediately on her tail. He charged into a jog and almost tripped in an attempt to catch himself so he wouldn’t run into her full force. “Kairi, how - what-” he sputtered. She continued walking, ignoring him entirely. She seemed almost ethereal, walking gracefully, dead silent, and unnervingly distant. He reached out to try and touch her. “Kai-” He froze when his eyes caught what it was she was walking towards.

Imperfectly cut logs were lined up and secured with a combination of nails and thick ropes. Some boards ran horizontally across the top, a pathetic attempt to make the makeshift ship more secure. There was a single mast in the center, adorned with a large, thick, white sheet to act as the sail. He was wise enough now to know it wasn’t even close to being tall enough to actually catch the wind. The bottom was too light and would likely roll over before they even made it a mile out.

Yet, something nostalgic swelled inside him. He’d recognize Highwind anywhere. They had slaved over that ship for over a year: snuck out power tools in the dead of night, spent countless hours gathering wood and supplies, found all sorts of odd jobs to do around town so they could gather munny to buy supplies for her. She was their pride and glory.

She was going to be their vessel to another world…

She was floating in the water, rocking gently with the waves, and Kairi was walking towards her. “Wait, Kairi,” Sora called out to her, breaking into a jog to catch up with her. Kairi continued to ignore him and kept her gaze directed away from him. She hopped onto the raft with a light “hmph” and picked up one of the oars and moved to push off against the shore and dislodge. Sora hopped onto Highwind before she could leave the shore.

“Kairi… are you mad at me?” Sora asked, almost hesitantly, staring at Kairi’s back as she maneuvered the ship away from the island. Sora was met with nothing but silence. She wouldn’t even look at him. He stared sadly at her as Highwind slowly moved away from the ever fading island and gently coursed through the ocean’s graceful waves.

Kairi remained standing, at first, and so did Sora. When she walked to one corner of the boat, he maneuvered around to the opposite, almost as if he was avoiding her. This continued on for some time, like a dance as they balanced out the raft. It gently rocked with each footstep, moving whatever the direction the wind decided to carry it.

The sun continued to dip lower and cast sharp rays of light over them. Kairi’s hair was glowing in the glare of the sun, bright red with hues of magenta. Sora swallowed roughly, his throat dry and aching. He lifted his arm before immediately bringing it back down to his side, resisting the desire to reach out to her. The breeze gently blew, fluttering Sora’s clothes and making Kairi’s hair dance.

Once the raft was on a steady path without the need of assistance, Kairi set down the oar and walked over to the mast, continuing to keep her eyes distant from Sora. Kairi sat down and leaned her back against the oar, staring out into the vast ocean, where it touched the horizon line and carried on seemingly endlessly. Sora sat down, as well, mimicking Kairi’s positioning, but on the other side of the mast. He leaned against the wood and silently winced, as though pained by the barrier between them. He had one leg outstretched, slightly bent, and the other curved in towards his opposite knee. He kept his hands occupied by twiddling his fingers, tugging at the hem of his pants, or dragging his palms over his knees.

For some time, the silence continued, and Sora felt like was drowning in his thoughts. He could hear himself thinking loudly, thinking about Kairi, about what to say to Kairi. His thoughts ran wild and a memory crept up on him unexpectedly.

Suddenly, Sora let out a boyish giggle. “Remember that time I got a splinter in my thumb?” He barked out, leaning his head back until it thumped against the mast. He stared up into the sail that was being dragged by the breeze. “It really hurt and I was too chicken to pull it out. So, you got it for me… I was being real dramatic about it, huh? I remember you said that…” Sora trailed off and resisted the urge to turn around and look at Kairi. She was dead silent and it stung him.

Sora looked down sadly at his hands, placed delicately in his lap. He tangled his fingers and twiddled his thumbs, briefly chewing his lip as he thought about what to say to her. Then, another memory floated by. “Oh! Remember when you fell and twisted your ankle? And I carried you home? I-… I lied when I said Riku couldn’t do it. It’s cuz I-… I wanted to. But, you already knew that, huh?”

A second or so passed, and Kairi still said nothing. “Nothing ever gets past you,” Sora added on with a brief laugh that unintentionally sounded nervous. How old were they back then? Maybe twelve or thirteen. It really wasn’t that long ago, but it felt like it. They had both changed so much since Xehanort dragged destiny islands into darkness. A few years had gone by like decades.

“You fell when we were working on this…” Sora added on, playing the memory through his thoughts like an old recording. “You were always trying so hard. I guess I-… I sometimes forget that it wasn’t just me and Riku’s dream: it was your dream, too…” As Sora trailed off, he finally realized why Kairi was ignoring him. He blinked rapidly, clarity striking him almost like a slap to the face.

“Kairi… I’m sorry,” he began, pausing to take a deep breath. Sora stared down at his lap, lips chapped, the skin on his hands blistering, and eyes peering sadly into the emptiness in his palms. “Me and Riku - we’ve been to many worlds. We’ve met so many different people and seen so many different places. But, you… you were forced to stay behind.” Sora paused and licked his lips. “-waiting for us to come back for you…”

“I tell myself that-… -that I did all this because these worlds needed saving, and that was true, but… But, it wasn’t always just that. It was the adventure I always wanted… All this time, I’ve learned so much… experienced so much - and it wasn’t always bad things. I’ve met people who changed my life - I made friends I will never forget…”

Suddenly, Sora dragged the knuckles on his right hand across his eyes, quickly catching the tears that threatened to fall. “I forgot that this was your dream, too. I’m so sorry, Kairi - for leaving you behind and not realizing it…” Sora lowered his head apologetically and squeezed his eyes shut. She was safe at home, and that was all that mattered to him back then. Had she been lonely all this time? She walked to the shoreline every single evening and stood there for hours, waiting for them to come home. But, he never-

“Sora.” He snapped his head up and saw Kairi standing before him. With the sunset directly behind her, she was glowing in the gleaming light of dusk. She reached for him and Sora reached back, entwining their fingers. She felt like nothing. She wasn’t warm or cold. Her touch felt nonexistent, and it left a pained ache in his stomach.

Hands clasped together, Kairi slowly descended onto her knees in front of him. Still, she was a little taller than him with him seated and her somewhat upright. “You’re my greatest journey,” she whispered, so quiet he almost didn’t hear her.

Now kneeling, Kairi had moved out of the way of the sunlight, and it blasted Sora in the face. He squinted, blinking rapidly to try and avoid its harsh rays. Yet, he didn’t want to close his eyes and look away from her. “Kairi?” Through his rapid blinking, trying to avoid the sun’s glare, trying to see her through the blaring light, Sora thought she smiled for a second. “You always promised… you’d come back… I know you will.”

Before he could reply, before he could utter another word, she was gone. The sun dipped over the edge of the ocean and disappeared behind the waves. The sun left behind an orange hue in the sky, but the light was dim and distant, ever escaping.

Just as it did so, Kairi’s form also disappeared and Sora’s hands grasped at emptiness. For a moment, Sora panicked. He jumped to his feet, shaking the raft in the process. He felt dizzy as he stood there, staring at nothing as though there was something he could reach for and capture. As he stood there in a stupor, he felt something barely solid pass through him. It felt almost the same as the sensation of a wave rocking against his body. He knew, somehow, that fragment was now safe inside his heart.

Sora pressed his dominant hand against his chest, right over his rapidly thumping heart, and bunched up the fabric of his shirt in his fist, so tight he almost ripped it. He was another step closer. Just a little closer. Standing there, alone in the open ocean, Sora wondered if he should have felt some relief. Instead, all he felt was crippling loneliness.

It hurts.

…

… …

…

“S-…”

“…-RA.”

“SORA!”

Cold water splashed on his face, stinging a cut on his cheek, and Sora finally woke up, flailing and coughing dramatically, though it was hardly all that much water. His right hand unconsciously came up to hurriedly wipe the water away and dig it out of his eyes. He blinked rapidly, trying to restore his blurry vision. He could see people looking down at him; but, he didn’t immediately recognize them.

The sun-… The sun was up already? He could it’s glaring light beaming down on him, burning bright and warm. The sky was bright and blue with hardly a cloud to be seen. Sora blinked slowly, confused. But-… But, he was just-… Had he fallen asleep again?

“-the hell are you doing here?” a familiar voice asked. Sora felt a large hand press against his back to hold him upright. “Huh?” he exhaled, his gaze following the extended arm to whoever was kneeling beside him. A few blinks later and he finally realized who that person was. Sora’s mouth hung open for a second before morphing into a grin.

“Leon!” he proclaimed loudly, his voice briefly raising in pitch for a second. It seemed that the magic that allowed him to blend in with distant worlds was also in Leon’s possession. He was dressed quite unlike himself, done up like a rather reputable pirate, aside from the fact that he still had three heavy belts hanging around his hips. His hair was tied back, with a few loose strands heavy and greasy around his eyes, and a single dangling braid that hung by his left cheek.

“What are you doing out here?” Sora asked, completely forgetting the question Leon just asked him. The taller man rose to his feet and backed up to give Sora the chance to stand. The spiky haired pirate climbed to his feet, wobbling for a quick second before grounding himself.

“Me? What the hell are you doing out here?” Leon questioned, his rough voice a bit accusing, aggressive, even; but, Sora recognized it as worry. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, unsure of how to answer Leon, who crossed his arms and stared back with the expectation of an answer.

“Passed out a raft - we thought you were dead,” another voice chipped in. Sora’s eyes moved away from Leon, and he realized that he wasn’t the only familiar face. “Huh?” Sora gasped. “Yuffie!?” She smiled brightly at him, showing off a row of very crooked and chipped teeth.

“I spotted this raft and thought, maybe it drifted off somehow and then saw a body on it - talk about giving us a scare when we realized it was you!” she babbled on. Even she blended in flawlessly, wearing a rugged outfit that looked like it had been spit out by the ocean itself. Her short hair was pushed back by a faded green bandana. A few braided strands of hair hung over the front at her right temple.

“We’re glad you’re okay. You really seemed out of it,” Yuffie said, placing a supportive hand on Sora’s shoulder. “Oh. Sorry to worry you,” he replied, sincerely. “It’s - I - uhm…” Sora trailed off, looking back and forth between the two of them with an apologetic look. “I’m looking for Kairi… She’s-…” Sora trailed off, wondering where to even begin. Yuffie carefully retracted her hand, looking sadly at him.

“We heard,” Leon explained. Sora looked up at him with an almost startled expression. Leon remained unmoved at Sora’s expression, suppressing his urge to wince as those blue bright eyes beamed up at him. He could see it written all over Sora’s face: confusion, fear… how bad it hurt.

“Mickey and Riku filled us in,” he clarified. A moment of silence took them over. Sora looked down at his feet and tightened his lips, silently grueling over what Leon might say to him. He could almost feel it coming. His fists clenched at the mere thought. He wouldn’t have it. No one could stop him from-

“I understand what you’re going through,” Leon suddenly stated, almost quiet, voice like a rough whisper. “Huh?” Sora blurted, whipping his head up to look at Leon. He stared at him, wide eyed and almost in disbelief. Leon wasn’t looking back at Sora, but rather had his eyes directed elsewhere, staring off into the abyss of his own mind.

Oh.

A crease formed on Sora’s forehead and his expression grayed. That part of him - the part that never gave up, that always saw the good in others, that was warm and soft - wanted to comfort him, then. But, it was obvious that Leon didn’t need it. Whatever happened, it was ancient history, now.

“With the help of Merlin-” Yuffie suddenly chimed in, slicing through the tension. “-we were able to split up the Heartless Resistance - cover more ground, y’know? We’ve been clearing them out since kingdom hearts was opened. Lucky we found you - haven’t been stationary for weeks.” Sora directed his gaze at her and smiled.

“Thanks, guys,” Sora said, glancing between the two of them. “We’re gonna port soon to stock up. Are you coming or what?” Leon asked, his tone right back to the casual gruff Sora was familiar with. Sora’s heart swelled and he knew, even if he wanted to, he couldn’t say no.


End file.
